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Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his team's pursuit for titles this campaign is being threatened by a worrying circle of injuries and a grueling schedule.

Latest Squad Update

Key midfielder Declan Rice did not travel for the midweek trip to Belgium due to sickness. In addition, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain on the sidelines.

There was, however, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American forward added to their Champions League squad. He replaces the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle injury.

"Practice, no because we lack time to train. But clearly the fact that you are without players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a really dangerous circle."

Dowman's setback is the latest in a long series of injuries for the club. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-highest total in the Premier League.

Extended Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to be back until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from surgery and "requires more time," according to the boss.

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that practice intensity were to culprit, citing a lack of opportunity for drills. He emphasized the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two years.

Recruitment Plans

Despite a major summer spend over £250 million, Arteta stated the club is unlikely looking to dip into the winter recruitment market.

"At the moment we're just concentrating on getting the players back and with luck it will be a question of a short time," he said. "It's clear how crucial those weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The team experienced their first loss in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their advantage at the summit of the league to two clear points.

Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group-stage win would virtually guarantee a top-eight finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by scoring in a fifth successive Champions League fixture.

"We are frustrated with the outcome, but we have to move forward," he said. "It's not like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."